Wearable

Some code allegedly derived from an as-yet unreleased version of iOS also reportedly offers insight into watchOS 7, software that may debut with the next Apple Watch. It hints at additions such as sleep tracking and a new mode for its Infograph watch-face. On that note, new custom faces may be possible in this version.

Luxury goods maker Montblanc has launched its latest smartwatch alongside its first pair of premium wireless headphones. The new Summit 2+ builds on the same platform as its predecessor but is now larger while its new luxury Smart Headphones will appeal to well-heeled travelers.

Xiaomi showed quite some ambition when it opened its own Apple Store-esque outlet in Shepherd's Bush, London. However, reports that this brick-and-mortar establishment has shut down have recently emerged. UK customers can still buy products from this OEM online, though.

The WH-1000XM4 has been a long time coming, with it being almost eighteen months since Sony announced the WH-1000XM3. The WH-1000XM4 was expected to be unveiled at CES 2020 and now a listing for the ANC headphones has appeared on Anatel Certification, the Brazilian version of the FCC. The listing not only offers the first sighting of the WH-1000XM4, but also specifications for Sony's next-generation headphones. Sadly, it seems that there is no room for the aptX or aptX HD Bluetooth codecs.

Early on in the product life cycle of the Apple Watch, Apple realized that it was on to a winner with its health tracking features. This is an aspect of the device that it has continued to refine with each iteration. It looks set to continue to this push by offering blood oxygen level sensing in a future model.

The hands-on video that has recently surfaced online shows a smartwatch with slightly curved sides and bezels that seem to be a bit bigger than shown by the unofficial renders that were leaked not long ago. This smart wearable is set to launch in China on March 21 with a starting price of almost US$220.

Rumoured to be called the AirPods Pro Lite by Taiwanese media outlet DigiTimes, the entry-level answer to the AirPods Pro could be entering mass production this month. Expected to be released in mid-2020, it remains unclear what these TWS earbuds will offer over the regular AirPods.

A new listing for "Mi True Wireless Earphones 2S" has appeared on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) website. Based on this name, it seems that Xiaomi has a new TWS product on the way. However, the image that goes with their new apparent certification looks like one that is already on the market.

SQFMI has launched a new smartwatch. Called the Watchy, the device is equipped with an E-ink display, four buttons and has a vibration motor. An accelerometer and a real-time clock are onboard too, along with Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi support.

The constantly growing smartwatch market is getting another competitor, Timex. With the Ironman R300, the company has created a cheap smartwatch that supports GPS and multiple fitness tracking options. Timex promises that the Ironman R300 should last an impressive 25 days between charges, too.

Google has officially canceled Google I/O 2020 due to coronavirus concerns. As with cancellations of other events, it is a significant blow as it is the annual software showcase for the company that also usually features some hardware launches as well.

The Sony WF-1000XM3s are widely regarded as some of the best TWS earbuds out there. However, they do have some discrepancies, one of which is the absence of Qualcomm's aptX HD Bluetooth codec. A new leak suggests that this is to be addressed soon.

IDC India has released its report on the wearables market in this country for the last quarter of 2019 (4Q2019). It reveals that the 'audio' category of these electronics had the highest share for that period, overtaking band-type devices compared to 4Q2018. Xiaomi had the greatest share in the latter sector, whereas Apple's AirPods clearly dominated their own sub-segment.

Realme has been connected with an inaugural wearable for a while. This product is, as it turns out, of the fitness-tracker variety. It is set to launch on March 5, 2020 in the Indian market. Accordingly, this smart device has 9 "sports modes", one of which is for cricket.

Wireless charging is mainly relevant to smartphones and other similar portable electronics at present. However, a new analysis indicates that its market will benefit more and more from its application to electric vehicles. This may drive its value up to as much as US$71.21 billion by 2025.

OPPO has already let it be known that it will launch its first ever smartwatch soon, and that it has taken profound design cues from Apple. However, the OEM has yet to mention anything about the new wearable's software. A well-known Weibo tipster purports to spoil this by posting a new image of what looks like the device running Google's Wear OS.

The Amps Air + are the latest TWS earbuds from SOL REPUBLIC. They are the brand's first such product with active noise cancellation (ANC). These new Amps also now feature a slimmer case with USB type C charging, which can deliver 2 hours of play-time in exchange for 15 minutes of being plugged in.

Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design headset, the first such XR (as in, virtual, mixed or augmented reality) device that supports 5G. It does so via its in-built X55 modem, which is part of its latest hardware platform for this category of media. Therefore, OEMs may now start building their own headsets based on this new "boundless" artificial-reality tech.

The latest headphone and earphone market research projects that this compound device category will "generate revenues of over US$45 Billion" between now and 2025. This growth is thought to be driven by several factors, which include the rise of the TWS earbud, the demand for "smart" features, as well as noise isolation, in this category.

A new report by a Taiwanese media outlet claims that a company from the same country may be engaged to help produce the upcoming AirPods Pro Lite. These putative devices are thought to be a more affordable version of Apple's TWS earbuds, and to be released in mid-2020.

Casio has announced the Bruce Lee Collaboration Model, a specially-designed version of its high-end G-SHOCK MR-G watch series. It features a band and case colored to match the martial arts cinema legend's hallmark tracksuit, as well as a case with detailing inspired by the same. There will be only 300 of its units available when it goes on sale.

Mobvoi has launched the TicWatch Pro 2020 on Amazon.com. It has a RAM upgrade, but sticks with the same SoC, design and battery life. Then again, as it still includes a dual display, it should still offer impressive longevity as a wearable.

Numerous chipset foundries, TSMC included, use equipment from US-based firms to make their products. Now, the same nation's current administration may be able to leverage this fact in order to stop the supply of silicon to Huawei. This, apparently, is a new tactic to lock the OEM out of the US market.

House of Marley has released its second-gen TWS earbuds, called the Redemption ANCs. Unlike their predecessors, they resemble Apple AirPods, albeit ones finished in sustainable bamboo. They also have a 4-mic system for voice calls, an IPX4 rating and a case with a USB type C port.

A company called Aria has put its new true-wireless (or TWS) earbuds up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. This isn't hugely unusual these days - however, these SONG X products distinguish themselves with an innovative "Star Ring" charging case. They are also described as capable of delivering high-quality audio with robust Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

The Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra were launched in their new Cloud- or Cosmic-themed colorways on February 11, 2020. However, other reports have revealed that they have drastically different options on the South Korean market, one of which is Aura Red. A leaker now asserts that these SKUs are also on their way to Europe.

The YHE BP Doctor is a new smartwatch that can measure blood pressure, along with oxygen saturation levels and heart rate variability. All this functionality should make the YHE BP Doctor capable of providing important information about your own health.

After meeting earlier this week to discuss the viability of Mobile World Congress 2020, the GSMA has decided to cancel MWC 2020 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. Multiple companies have stated they would not be in attendance due to the epidemic earlier this month. In response, the GSMA has outright cancelled MWC in its entirety.

The popular online messaging service WhatsApp has reported that it has passed an important milestone: 2 billion users. It emphasized its simple, convenient and private interface in its statement on this matter. Furthermore, it asserted its ongoing commitment to protecting the (doubtless huges amounts of) data sent through it daily.

Recently, a prominent tech vlogger teased a phone with a dual punch-hole camera alleged to contain a groundbreaking 44MP sensor. Now, this device has been revealed as OPPO's Reno3 Pro - but not as its existing fans know it. It has indeed sprouted this improved in-display shooter, but lacks an important marketing point from its original launch.

WhatsApp has secured approval to roll out a new facet of its service in India. It is a new payment platform that has just been approved by the relevant authories. This may help the Facebook-owned app compete effectively with others such as Google Pay/Tez and Paytm in the country.

Apple's Smartwatch outsold all Swiss watchmaker brands combined by 3 to 2 in 2019. Younger consumers prefer smartwatches, a shift that has continually driven sales away from Swiss watchmakers over the past five years. Still, considering their luxury status, it's unlikely that Swiss watchmakers will disappear overnight.

Google has announced that its Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is headed to regular retail channels for developers. Although failed as a consumer product, at least in the immediate future, the company has found legs for it in enterprise so much so that demand has warranted its wider availability.

The JEDEC solid-state assocation has unveiled UFS 3.1, the immediate successor for the memory standard found in some of the most premium smartphones out today. The organization asserts that it will build on its last generation in terms of speed and power-efficiency. It also has a new optional companion standard that may further boost read speeds.

The Honor MagicWatch 2 is now available to purchase on Amazon, with prices starting at ~US$210. The 46 mm smartwatch is available on Amazon DE and Amazon UK, with Honor promising up to fourteen days battery life for the device.

Xiaomi has announced that it will keep its brick-and-mortar stores in China closed for several days from January 28, 2020. The OEM has stated that this is to co-operate with governmental efforts to contain the spread of a novel coronavirus that has already claimed numerous lives in the country. However, customers can still order products online if necessary.

Action cameras are a popular device category, particularly among those who want to record their rugged pursuits wherever they go. A new report indicates that the market in question will grow to be worth US$8.9 billion in the next 5 years. This is thought to be influenced by similar performance by the travel and adventure-sports markets worldwide.

According to a new leak, Redmi - which is usually known as a smartphone brand - will launch a fitness tracker soon. It may be of the kind that fits into a silicone wrist-band, and may also have a front-facing capacitive button. This device may have been certified for use in India already.

The latest report on the health- and fitness-tracker market shows that it may achieve a valuation of as much as US$5 billion by 2025. This may be driven by the increasing number of applications and functions for these devices. They may in fact improve to the point that they can be used to help diagnose and prevent illnesses in the future.

Realme recently debuted its first pair of TWS earbuds in India. At 3999 INR (or about US$56), they seem a very reasonably-priced AirPod alternative. However, it now seems the OEM has a 2nd variant in the works which may cost even less.

An Indian electronics authority has approved a new device from Realme described as being part of the "Smart Watches" category. Therefore, it seems this brand is preparing to launch its first wearable of this type in India. If so, it will compete with other OEMs such as Huawei and Garmin in this market.

A study published in The Lancet has concluded that Fitbit use was associated with significant improvements in a technique used to detect influenza and similar conditions. This is due to the heart rate- and activity-monitoring features in these wearables. Therefore, fitness trackers may play a greater role in public health in the future.

Huawei has released its performance for 2019 to the Chinese media. It claims it shipped approximately 240 million units in total that year, 6.9 million of which had 5G. For context, Samsung has announced that it shipped about 6.7 million of the same kind of phone in the same time-frame.

A number of newer Fibit wearables were shipped with SpO2 (or estimated blood oxygen) sensors, which may not have been activated within their systems. However, the OEM has addressed this in a new update. Therefore, compatible devices can now track this additional health metric for their users.

The TicPods 2 and 2 Pro are Mobvoi's new TWS earbuds. They look much like their predecessor: however, this series is the first to feature the OEM's new, proprietary assistant Tico. They also respond to gestures for call answering or dismissal.

LG has announced that its latest truly wireless (or TWS) earbuds are now available to buy in the United States. These Tone Free devices are tuned by Meridian Audio and have a unique UVnano charging case. It also adds up to 21 hours' worth of playback to the LG earbuds.

The Xiaomi Mi Band range is getting another a cost-effective fitness tracker, and one that features a larger touchscreen than its predecessor. The Mi Band 5 will apparently support NFC globally too, and will launch later this year for as little as US$26.